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Rustic white ceramic bowl filled with Creamy German Goulash, topped with sour cream and fresh green parsley.

The Ultimate Creamy German Goulash with Fusilli

This highly comforting Creamy German Goulash features tender chunks of beef braised in a rich, vibrant, orange-brown paprika cream sauce. Served over perfectly cooked spiral fusilli pasta and garnished with thick sour cream and fresh parsley.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: German, Hungarian
Calories: 580

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 lbs (900g) beef chuck roast Cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) canola oil
  • 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
  • 2 large (300g) yellow onions Finely diced
  • 4 cloves (12g) garlic Minced
  • 3 tbsp (21g) sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 2 tbsp (30g) tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp (16g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups (710ml) low-sodium beef broth
  • 0.5 cup (120ml) heavy cream Room temperature
  • 12 oz (340g) dried spiral fusilli pasta
  • 0.5 cup (120g) sour cream Thick full-fat preferred
  • 2 tbsp (8g) fresh green parsley Finely chopped
  • 1 tsp (2g) black pepper Freshly cracked

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven Essential for even heat distribution while braising the beef.
  • 1 Large pasta pot For boiling the fusilli pasta.

Method
 

Making the Creamy German Goulash
  1. Pat the cubed beef chuck roast dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep, dark golden-brown crust forms. Remove to a plate.
  2. Lower heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onions to the residual beef fat and sauté for 7-8 minutes until deeply softened. Add the minced garlic, sweet Hungarian paprika, and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and brick red.
  3. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the mixture and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the beef broth to create a smooth liquid. Return the seared beef chunks to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, lower heat to medium-low, and braise for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is meltingly tender.
  4. During the last 20 minutes of braising, boil the spiral fusilli pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain. Once the beef is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and stir in the heavy cream until the sauce turns a vibrant orange-brown.
  5. Serve the hot creamy goulash next to the cooked fusilli in a rustic bowl. Top with a thick dollop of sour cream, finely chopped fresh green parsley, and cracked black pepper.

Notes

Do not burn the paprika: Add it off high heat and add liquids shortly after to prevent bitterness.
For freezing: Freeze the stew before adding the heavy cream. Thaw, reheat, and add fresh heavy cream right before serving.